Class numbers 9 & 29

1 – Sapphire
Philippine Science High School – Western Visayas

Investigatory Project
Title: Pollutant Absorbency on Different Soil Types

I. Background of the Study

Soil is created slowly and destroyed easily. Soil is mainly made up of rock
debris and organic materials, such as decomposed plants and animals.
Microbes live in the soil, causing dead organisms to decay to help return
nutrients to the soil. Soil is made up of organic and mineral particles.

Pollution Problems

Pollution is a daily problem and hazard to the human race as well as all other
things on earth, living or not. Water, air and soil pollution is constant and
deadly to all organisms that come to inhabit on, in or near a toxic area of
pollutants. Even as we try to reduce the amount of litter, smoke, pollution
and excess carbon dioxide, we will never be able to save all that we as
humans have damaged in the many years past. Yet, knowing the causes
could lead to solutions.

Soil VS Pollution

Day by day, we are connected to soil directly or indirectly with almost

everything we use. When we walk into a building, the ground is holding it up.
Vegetables and fruits we eat gain nutrients from soil that are fed to the plant
through its roots. Animals that eat the healthy plants for nutrients also give
us nutrients. Sadly, because soil is created slowly and easily destroyed, it is
commonly polluted in areas near heavy traffic, large cities and dumping sites.
Since more pollutants are accidentally spilled, prevention is more important.

Common Cause of Pollution

Every average human usually has one or more vehicles of transportation,

namely, a car. As each car is destroyed or ruined in an accident, the fuels and
gasses and pollutants that once were the main "juices" of the car are now
just deadly toxins leaking into a nearby stream, field or water tank,
eventually contaminating any thing that comes intact with it.

II. Problem Of The Study

Does soil porosity and pollutant viscosity affect the absorbency of the soil to
pollutant?
 III. Hypothesis

1) If the soil is with less porosity then it is the most absorbent.

2) If the pollutant is more viscous then it is more absorbent.

IV. Objectives of the Study

The purpose of this experiment was to determine which polypedon (type of

soil) was most absorbent of liquid pollutants.

The information gained from this experiment will benefit farmers, gardeners
and botanists who have soil pollution problems to better understand
absorbency in different types of soil.

V. Experimental Design

A. Variables

The constants in this study were:

• The filter used

• Amount of pollutants (250 ml)
• Amount of soil filtered (250 mg)
• Number of trials on 1 soil type with 1 kind of pollutant
• Temperature of pollutants (21°C )

The manipulated variable was the type of soil filtered and the kind of pollutant being
filtered. Each kind of soil (sand and clay) filtered each kind of pollutant (oil, gas)
three times.

The responding variable was the amount of pollutants that filtered through the 250
mg of soil.

B. Materials

QUANTITY ITEM DESCRIPTION

1 Plastic Filter
750mL Sand, Clay
750mL Oil, Gasoline
30 (16oz) plastic cups
500mL Graduated Cylinder
1 Scratch Paper
1 Organized Table
 Stop Watch or watch with a
1
second hand

C. Procedure

1.) Create a clean and organized area near a working sink or tub of water.
2.) Place 1 plastic cup on the table.
3.) Set filter in the cup so it is sturdy.
4.) Carefully put 250mg of soil 1 in filter.
5.) Accurately measure 250mL of oil in a graduated cylinder.
6.) Pour oil onto soil 1 slowly and steadily.
7.) Once oil is completely out of the cylinder begin timing filtering for 60 seconds
with the stopwatch.
8.) After the 60 seconds are completed, immediately remove filter from the cup and
set it in the sink. Immediately clean up any spills if you have any.
9.) Once the filter is in the sink pour the remaining oil in the cup, into the graduated
cylinder. Record the amount on the piece of scratch paper, but this is not your final
measurement.
10.) On the same paper as the recorded measurement, write the following equation:
250 - pollutants remaining = pollutants absorbed, and solve it by filling in the
numbers where the variables are.
11.) Record the difference to the equation in step 10 on the organized table.
12.) Repeat steps 1-11 two times with the same pollutant and the same soil.
13.) Repeat steps 1-11 three times with the same pollutant and soil 2.
14.) Repeat steps 1-11 three times with gasoline and soils 1 and 2.

VI. Photographs
 VII. Results

Amount Of Pollutants Absorbed In Different Soils

Sand Clay
Trial Oil Gasoline Oil Gasoline
Number (mL) (mL) (mL) (mL)
1 115 172 205 127
2 113 122 245 130
3 150 120 211 140
Average 126 138 220.33 132.33

The original purpose of this experiment was to determine which polypedon (type of
soil) was most absorbent of liquid pollutants.
The results of the experiment were that the oil and clay combination was the most
absorbent as we suspected, but some oil just sat on the top because it was so thick.
The clay absorbed an average of 220.33mL of oil, 112and 132.33mL of gasoline. The
sand absorbed an average of 126mL of oil, and 138mL of gasoline. We noticed that
the gasoline ran right through both soils quickly because they were both thin, like
water.

VIII. Conclusion

Our first hypothesis was that the soil with less porosity would be most absorbent.

Our second hypothesis was that the more viscous pollutant would be most
absorbent.

The results indicate that my first hypothesis should be accepted.

The results also indicate that the second hypothesis should be accepted.